Crouse Hospital Emergency Department Parking Deck Replacement

Klepper, Hahn & Hyatt designed the replacement of the original 10,625-square-foot waterproofing system underlying the emergency department parking deck at the south end of Crouse Hospital in downtown Syracuse, New York. The 1972 coal-tar waterproofing system protected four surgical operating rooms in the story directly below the parking deck. The system was actively leaking at the drains and along a building expansion joint.

KHH engaged hospital personnel early in the design process to define critical design criteria such as: acceptable noise levels; vibration sensitivity; strong odors; limitations posed by the continued use of the operating rooms during the project; schedule; and ultimately cost to develop a recommended replacement waterproofing system.

The new waterproofing system offered a unique combination of protective redundancies and enabled the existing coal-tar waterproofing system to remain in place rather than requiring its removal, which would be required by the other systems considered. Leaving the existing waterproofing system in place allowed the operating rooms below to remain watertight and shortened the fall construction schedule. This time savings in the project schedule permitted the placement of new concrete for the paving surface before the onset of cold weather.

The completed project also included an electronic leak detection system, custom-fabricated drains designed to intercept surface flow and membrane level flow, and the ability to withstand heavy vehicle wheel loads.